By Asia Tabb on WTIF.org on April 1, 2025
A groundbreaking project is unfolding at McCaskey High School in Lancaster, where a group of students, under the guidance of social studies teacher Dr. Todd Mealy, is working to bring history to life through the Witness Stones Project. This initiative aims to honor and remember individuals who were once enslaved by unearthing their stories and ensuring they are not forgotten. The McCaskey students are focusing their research on four individuals—Bob, Sue, Frank, and Bet—who were enslaved by Revolutionary War figure Edward Hand.
Dr. Todd Mealy explained the project:
“This is a project that started several years ago in New England, in Connecticut, to be more precise. It was started by a middle school educator named Dennis Culleton… he started reaching out to schools, largely middle schools across the New England area and the Mid-Atlantic community organizations, churches, to do this work of trying to identify and then honor the lives of those people who were enslaved over the course of American history.”
The project involves about 35 students, ranging from sophomores to seniors. Two students, Hasset Tesfaye and Hana Rebek, spoke about the emotional and educational journey they have experienced while working on this project.
Hasset shared her reaction to discovering the reality of Lancaster’s history:
“I didn’t really know much about the enslaved people in Lancaster. I was shocked learning about all the dehumanizing aspects of General Hand… them being added to various shopping lists like they were objects. I was extremely shocked by what I was reading, but I wanted to continue to learn more.”
Hana echoed these sentiments, highlighting the personal connection she developed with the project:
“Honestly, my experience, I was caught off guard by how interested I was in it, because it’s not typically that I research local history in my classes. But this one has definitely stuck out to me because it happened in my town, and it just makes it more special like that.”
The students conducted their own research, looking at letters, deeds, and newspapers including runaway slave advertisements—to piece together the lives of these individuals.
As part of their work, the students are creating a documentary that focuses on Frank, one of the enslaved individuals who escaped. Hasset described the project:
“Initially, I wanted to do a walkthrough at Rock Ford and have short clips of Frank, Bet, Sue, and Bob. But after doing more research, we realized we had found so much information that we needed to make a documentary.”
Hana added that this project has given her a deeper appreciation for history:
“It taught me that there’s so much I don’t know. I assumed that I knew everything I needed to know about Lancaster, but learning about these individuals who were enslaved by General Hand and how brave they were—it made me realize how much is left untaught in school.”
McCaskey’s involvement was initiated through a partnership with Historic Rock Ford, which reached out to the School District of Lancaster. Dr. Mealy and his students were then given the opportunity to lead this effort in uncovering the stories of the four enslaved individuals and preparing for a stone-laying ceremony at the end of May to commemorate their lives.
“Ultimately, when these stones are laid in the ground, that’s going to be their work. Years or decades down the road, they’ll be able to see that and know they played a part in ensuring these individuals are remembered.”
This initiative not only sheds light on an often-overlooked part of Lancaster’s history but also sets a precedent for other high schools to engage in meaningful historical research. As Dr. Mealy noted:
“A lot of colleges and universities have been doing projects like this one, but we haven’t heard a lot about high schools or middle schools doing this work. McCaskey is really the only high school in Pennsylvania so far that’s done this project. In a way, we’re trailblazers.”
Listen to the podcast to hear the entire conversation.
